QUASI-STATIC TESTING OF ONE-BAY TWO-STOREY R/C FRAMES

Year 2011, Volume: 3 Issue: 1, 66 - 71, 15.01.2011

Mehmet Baran Tuğrul Tankut

Abstract

The first tests on infilled frames at METU Structural Mechanics Laboratory were conducted at 1970’s. In 1986, second experimental research program was initiated in which test frames were infilled with cast-in-place reinforced concrete (RC) infills. Third experimental research program was initiated jointly with Boğaziçi University in 1994. However, the introduction of cast-in-place reinforced concrete infill walls were not suitable for strengthening of the existing building stock, since it involved messy construction works and requires evacuation. With the financial support of NATO, a new experimental research program was initiated in 2001, to develop such innovative non-evacuation retrofitting techniques, suitable for the most common type of building structures in the region. For years, one-bay two-storey specimens, called “twin frames”, were tested in the laboratory. In these tests, the specimens were tested horizontally. This set-up had been developed with the rather modest facilities available in the laboratory, and required a lengthy and tedious testing process. Since one of the aims of the study, supported by NATO Project, was to modify the test set-up for one-bay two-storey frames, a new test set-up had been developed to be used for the future studies. In the new test set-up, specimens were tested vertically. These specimens were supposedly identical to the twin frames used in the previous test series. Since experimental study is time consuming and expensive, test specimens were designed and detailed carefully, construction of the test specimens were planned considering all the details, instrumentation were designed considering the main objectives. After the two preliminary tests were conducted, modifications were done and new apparatus were added on the new set-up. In this study, both set-ups, the modifications and added apparatus are explained in details.

Keywords

Infilled frames, cast-in-place reinforced concrete infills, strengthening, construction works, nonevacuation retrofitting techniques, experimental study, instrumentation, preliminary tests, modification, apparatus

References

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